A Tale of Two Spiders [BEING REWRITTEN ELSEWHERE]

Part 20

"Prowler!"

He slowly, but menacingly turned around to face me. He sighed and glared at me.

"You again?"

"Surprise, surprise."

"Yeah. I thought you learned your lesson, and would stay away from me and this business."

"'Fraid I can't do that."

He punched one of his fists into his other palm. 

"Guess I'll have to beat the living sh*t out of you again."

He pushed off of the ground, as fast as lightning. But this time, I was ready - and met him halfway. I blocked his punch, and for a moment, we stood there, wrestling for control. He appeared to be surprised that I was able to stop him...

But, nonetheless, this was the Prowler. He quickly adapted to our situation and sent a powerful jab at my jaw, throwing me upward. He then followed suit with a punch to my stomach, which knocked me down onto the roof of a building. He then shot a grapple through the house's chimney and tugged on it, seemingly to push me into some innocent person's home.

I wasn't about to do that.

Using my Spider-senses as an advantage, I tucked my legs into my chest and pushed them out, my feet landing squarely on his chest. I heard him grunt in pain as he fell back, landing on his back. However, he swiftly recovered and jumped back onto his feet.

"Y'know, for a so-called mercenary, you're kinda incompetent," I said, aiming a punch at his face.

He blocked my punch, but I gave him an uppercut instead, which knocked his head up.

"I mean, I was unconscious and unarmed, but you still didn't manage to kill me. Why is that?" I asked, genuinely curious.

It seemed as if his whole demeanor changed after that statement. He stopped trying to fight me, and he...shrank as if he was trying to hide.

From who?

He shut his eyes, then opened them once more. And I knew that now he meant business. 

"It was because I chose to spare you!" He roared, lunging straight at me with his claws outstretched.

He didn't even give me a chance to react. He landed one heavy blow after the other, making it impossible for me to even begin fighting back.

"I thought that a young kid like you shouldn't have to go out like that...and that you shouldn't have to die so young."

"So I spared you - risking my life."

"Thinking you would...give up this pathetic idea of being a hero and go back to your normal life."

"But instead, not even a day later, you show up and decide to ruin the job and sign your death warrant."

"'Cause I won't be so generous again."

He grabbed my neck and hung me over the edge of the roof, the alleyway we had come from right below me.

"Hope you said your goodbyes before you left because you'll never see your family again."

He began to slowly choke the life out of me - eyes narrowed into white slits, his right-clawed hand poised in the air, ready to strike.

I was losing oxygen fast. My vision had started to swim, and all the colours in front of me started to melt into one, giant mess.

Is this how I die?